Dancers
by Anni Re
Summary: A spin off of The Children. Illa/Antony in a brother sister moment. Not really long but its short and sweet and looks at the non-deadpan side of their characters that is usually not seen. Written for keili77.


This is just a little ficlet about what Illa and Antony do when no one is around, some brother sister bonding. Set during Discord

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Dancers

By

Anni Re

The castle was quiet in the minutes before morning. The vampires were retreating back into their darkness to sleep away the day, and the lycan's were being systematically led back to their cells. Only two creatures remained out on the vacant streets, walking, in their strange slivery garb, towards the courtyard in front of the gate.

Illa walked a little bit ahead of Antony who stood where he was an indulging smile on his face. Illa turned a small grin on her face, Antony shook his head slightly chucking as he did so and fell into a relaxed fighting stance.

Illa didn't attack him directly but began to walk to her right. Antony did the same to his left, both analyzing each other's languid movements with calculating eyes as they moved on the opposite ends of the circle.

Then seemingly at the same time, as if both instantaneously tired of their little game, they charged each other. Antony swung his hand in an upward movement into her chest but Illa easily cart-wheeled over him using his shoulder to brace her hands. She landed nimbly on her feet and turned to look at him. He smiled wider and they leapt at each other again.

For many minutes they sparred, ducking and dodging their sibling's blows with beautiful agility, barely touching each other. After a while their moves became faster and fiercer but for the entire time they did not seem like fighters, but dancers, in a never-ending tribute to their art.

Finally, as all beautiful things do, it ended in a sudden flash of brilliance. Illa feigned a move, and while Antony moved to counter it Illa hooked her ankle around his and upended him so that his back was parallel to the ground. She leapt above him as he fell to the ground and used the soles of her feet to pin him at his wrists to the stone. She crouched over his chest, the smile still painted on her face.

Antony looked up at her, not at all vexed that she had bested him. "I yield," he said affectionately, "because I love you."

Illa huffed and hopped up into the air crossing her legs so that her whole body landed on his stomach.

Antony gasped and leaned up to lessen the weight. He looked at his sister who waited expectantly. He laughed. "Fine," he said his voice slightly strained from the weight on his body. "I yield because you bested me."

Illa smiled. "Thank you," she kissed his forehead and rolled off of him.

As Antony sprung up from the ground Illa pointed up to the sky. "Look," she said in wonder.

The sun was rising over the wall filling the square with light. Illa stood in it eyes closed, body open to the sky. "Is it silly brother for the sun to be such a novelty to me?"

Antony smiled, but it was a sad smile, an 'if only' smile, wishing with all his heart that it wasn't, because they had seen it every day of their lives. "No sister." He stepped into the light with her and they held each other lost in their fantasies of life with the sun, the moon, the stars, anything but silvery mist.

Antony looked back towards the castle. "We must return. They will miss us soon."

"I miss them," whispered Illa, "We never knew them, and yet I miss them as if they were always with me."

Antony had know words of comfort to giver her, he merely held her tighter to his chest, the only tie he had to anything. "I as well, my dear."

They heard a rustle a few yards away from them and they both turned their heads towards the blacksmith's forge. "Oh," Illa her previous mood retuning, "the lycan is curious," she said seemingly delighted, like one who viewed a child exploring new things. She looked up at her brother conveying a silent message.

Antony nodded and looked back and where Lucian hid. "I shall speak with him."

Antony pulled away still holding Illa's hand and walked to the end of the courtyard. He turned around and took the hand he held into both his hands and kissed it. "Come," he said holding her hand to his chest, "run with me."

They ran away from their treasured light back to their host's invaluable darkness, where in one of the plethora of shadows Tanis stood watching.

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Sorry this is so short but I dont have the talent to create a ten minute play fight scene. But still its a cute sweet little story.


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